Power-transmitting device.



No. 768,114. 4 PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

G. R. DEAN. POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 5. 1903. No MODEL. l

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Eze 721507 y71510. '768,114'. y EATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

I G. E. DEAN.

EOWEE TEANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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such as the spring A4.

UNITED STATES Patented August 23, 1904.

'GEORGE R. DEAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

POWER-TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

SEGIFICATION forming part of Letters atent N0. 768,114, dated August 23,1904,

Application filed August 5, 1903.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. DEAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvementin Power-TransmittingDevices, of which the following is a specification.`

My invention relates to power-transmitting devices properly adapted tovary and control the speed of the driven device.`

My inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein*- YFigure 1 is a diagrammatic'view showing one formof my device as appliedto an automobile. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asection through the movable shaft ofthe device. y Fig. I is a section online I LI, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view showing a modified construction.Fig. 6 is a sectional View showing a modified construction of one of theengaging parts. Fig'. 7 is a sectional view showing another modificationof one of the engaging parts. Fig. 8 isa view showing a modifiedconstruction of the movable shaft.

Like letters refer to'like parts throughout the several figures.

' My present invention is particularly adaptedfor use in ,connectionwith devices where it is desired to transmit power from one device toanother and to vary the speed of the driven device.

For purposes of illustration I'have shown my constructiondiagrammatically, as it were, in order that it may be readilyunderstood.

Referring now to Figs.'1 and 2, I have illustrated one form of my deviceadapted to be used in 'connection with automobiles. In Fig. 1 I haveshown a portion A of the frame of the automobile and beneath which themechanism is mounted. In this construction a motor Al of-any desiredkind is provided with a rotating shaft A2; Associated with the shaft A2is a frictional engaging device A3,'. connected with a shaft B andnormally forced against the shaft A2 by some suitable device, Theengaging device A3 may be of any suitable construction, and I have hereillustrated it as consisting of a wheel provided with a flexible orpneumatic serial N'o. 168,252. (No moda.)

tire. The shaft B is provided at its other end with an enOaOinO deviceB', of an suitable Y b D C construction, but preferably more orI lesselastic or iexible. This engaging device is located between thefrictiona-l disks C and D, which are mounted upon the shaft E, which maybethe axle of the automobile or any other driven shaft. The engagingpart B is moved back and forth across the face of one or the other ofthese disks, so as to vary the.

In view of the some arrangement should be made to compensate for thiscondition, so as to prevent sliding and other -undesirable results..This is accomplished in the present device by forming the engaging facesof the disks on a gradui ated curve, as shown, this curve being properlyworked out to secure the desired result.

For example,the engaging device B engages lthe'face of the disk for aconsiderable area,

and this engaging face when the disk has the proper. graduated curve isinclined to the axis of the engaging device. If, for example, we takeany given point of contact betweenthe engaging device B and the disk D,the graduated curve should be so arranged that the ratio of theperpendicular distances between this point and the axis of the disk andthe engaging device is equal to the ratio of similar distances from anyother engaging point. 4

yIn other words, referring to Fig. 2, the graduated curve of the disk Dshould be so arranged and proportioned that the ratio of the distance Xto the distance Y is equal to the ratio of the distance X to thedistance Y'. The engaging device B', as before stated, may be of anydesired construction, and I have shown it in these figures as anoval-shaped flexible or elastic device which readily conforms to theshape of the graduated curved face of the It will be seen from thisfigure that with such adevice the radius Y will be shorter disks.

than the radius Y, and thus the proper contact area will be produced,and this contact area will -automatically adjust itself, so that therewill be no sliding during rotation,what ever may be the position-of thedisk and the engaging device. In other words, this is an IOO automaticadjusting' frictional speed-varying device.

The speed is varied by moving the. shaft B longitudinally, so as to movethe engaging' device B/ back and forth across the face of the disk D.Any suitable arrangement for this purpose may be utilized. As hereinshown, I have provided an ordinary lever F, which projects throug'h thepart A and in proximity to the operator. This lever is provided with anenlarged hub F and is mounted upon a stationary support F2, said supportbeing' provided with a series of notches F3. The lever is preferablyprovided with the ordinary holding device F2 which engages said notchesand which is lifted by means of the rod Fi, associated with the lever-Fand provided with a handle, as is usual in such cases, the holding'device being normally pressed into the notches when released by thespring Ff. It will thus be seen that by'moving this lever the shaft Band the eng'aging device Bl may be moved back and forth.

In order to reverse the driven device` I provide the additional disk C.In this event if the engaging device Bl is brought into contact with thedisk C it will be seen that the motion of the shaft E is reversed. Thismay be done by moving .the lever F to one side of the support F2. Aspring G, located above the support F, normally tends to twist the leverF, so as to force the engaging' device B into contact with the disk I).The shaft B works in suitable supporting-g'uides B2, which are slotted,as shown in Fig. 4, so as to permit the side movement when it is desiredto reverse the driven device. In Fig. 3 I have shown one form of thismovable shaft with its engaging devices. In this form the shaft ishollow, and there is a tube B3 extending from the pneumatic tire of theengaging' device A3 through the shaft and into the engaging' device B,said tube being coiled thereon, as illustrated. By this arrangement whenthe pneumatic tire is blown up the air passes through the tube B3 andinfiates it, thus inflating the engaging' device Bl, which in thisinstance is made of flexible or elastic ma-v terial. This engagingdevice BQ as before stated, may be of any other desired form. It may,for example, be a metal disk or wheel or any other suitable device.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the engaging device B as made of elasticmaterialsuch, for example, as rubber or the likekprovided with a solidcentral part H and an outer engaging part, the two parts separated bythe space H', which may be filled with air, said two parts beingpreferably connected by the webs H2.

In Fig. 7 I have shown an engaging' device B consistingof a flexiblemetal disk.

`Instead of using' the engaging device A3, I may connect the movableshaft B directly to the driving-shaft A2, as shown in Fig. 8. In thisconstruction the driving-shaft A2 is made which pass the pins l-and J.

hollow and is provided with four slots,through This permits the shaft Bto slide back and forth and also permits it to be moved laterally.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a construction adapted to be used in connectionwith small machinew-such, for example, as sewingmachines. In thisconstruction l provide the shaft B with two` engaging devices l?, andboth the driven shaft E and the d rivingshaft A2 are provided with disksl), having the proper graduated curved engaged faces. The engag'ingdevice B is held against the disks by the springs K. The shaft isprovided with a controlling-piece L, which may be engaged by the knee ofthe operator, so as to be moved back and forth to vary the speed. vInsuch devices, for example, as sewing-machines, it is found thatin manygarments it is necessary to run the machine at a slow speed for a littlewhile and then at a high speed for straight sewing, and-if this can bedone a great saving can he obtained, and one working can do much more.work with a single machine. B v means of this arrangement the speed canhe varied at will by the operator without stopping' the machine andwithout any effort whatever, and it will therefore be seen that thegreatest efficiency can be obtained. In this ligure l have shown theengaging devices as llexible balls. l

I have described in detail the various coustructions embodying myinvention; but it is of course evident that these constructions may bevaried in many particulars and that parts may be omitted and others usedwith parts not herein shown. and l therefore do not limit myself to thedevices illustrated.

I claim@ l. A speed-varying device comprising a frictional disk having'a curved engaging' face and an engaging part therefor adapted to bemoved back and forth across the curved engaging face, such disk andengaging' part so constructed and arranged that at various positions ofcontact the ratio between two lilies drawn from the inner periphery oftheir Zone of contact to their axes would be approximately equal to theratio between two other such lines drawn from the outer periphery oftheir Zone of contact to theirl axes.

2. A speed-varying' device comprisilig a driven part, a disk connectedwith the driven part and having a curved engaging face, a movableengaging device adapted to engage said curved face, a support for saidengaging device and means for moving' said support back and forth, suchdisk and engaging part so constructed and arranged that at variouspositions of contact the ratio between two lines drawn from the innerperiphery of their 7 one of contact to their axes would he approximatelyequal to the ratio between two other such lines drawn from the outerperiphery of their zone of contact to their axes.

IOO

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L f 3.' A'spe'ed-varying device comprising a4 face, said engaging devicebeing fiexible seas to conformgto the engaging face of the disk,

such disk and engaging poart arranged so that' at various positions ofcontact the ratio be-V tween `two lines drawn from the inner peripheryof their zone of contact to their axes would 'be approximately vequaltothe ratio between two other such line's drawn from the outer peripheryof their Zone of contact to their axes.

4. A speed-varying device comprising adriven part, a disk associatedwith the driven i part and provided with a'curved engaging face, amovable engaging part adapted to engagesaidcurved face, the saidengaging part having a curved exterior to correspond to the curvedengaging face of thedisk, such disk and engaging part' so constructedand arranged lthat at various positions of contact the ratio between twolines drawn from the inner periphery of their Zone of contact to theiraxes would be approximately equal to the ra- -tio'b'etween two othersuch lines drawn from the outer periphery of their vZone of contact totheir axes. i

5. A speed-varying deviceccmprising a disk having a curved engagingface, an engaging device therefor adapted to be moved back and forthacrosssaid curved face, said engagingdevice being hollow and formed ofexible material so as to adjust itself to the engaging face, such diskand engaging part arranged so that at various positions of contact theratio between two lines drawn from the inner periphery of their zone ofcontact to their axes would be approximately equal to the ratio betweentwo other such lines drawn from the outer periphery of their Zone ofcontact to theiraxes. .y

6.' A speed -varying device comprising a driving-shaft and alongitudinally-movable shaft,l an infiatable engaging device at one endthereof adapted to engage the driving-shaft, a iiexible hollow engagingdevice at the other end of said shaft, a flexible tube-extending fromthe infiatable'device throughthe shaft into the engaging device andcoiledtherein so that when the inflatable device is inflated theengaging device will also be inflated and a curved frictional diskconnected with the driven part and adapted to vbe engaged by saidperiphery of their Zone of contact to their axes. i

' 9. A speed-varying device comprising two disks provided with curvedengaging faces,

one associated with the driven and the other 'with' the driving shaft,an engaging device associated vwith each of said disks, aconnecting-piece connecting said engaging devices ,and acontrolling'device-associated with said connecting-piece 'so lthat itmay be moved back and forth to vary the speed of the driven device, suchdisk and engaging part so constructed and'arranged that at variouspositions of -contact the ratio between two lines drawn Y from the innerperiphery of their zone of contact to their axes would be approximatelyequal to the ratio between two other such lines drawn from the outerperiphery of their zone of contact to their axes.

l0. A speed-varying device comprising two disks provided with curvedengaging faces, one associated with the driven and the other with thedrivingnshaft, a flexible engaging device associated with each disk andadapted to conforin to the curved faces thereof, a connecting-piececonnecting said engaging' devices and a controlling device associatedAwith said connecting-piece so 'that it may be moved back and forth tokvary the speed of the driven device, such-disk vand engagingpart'arranged so that at various positions of contact theratiobetweentwo lines drawn from the'inner periphery of their zone of contact totheir axes would be approximately equal to the ratio between two othersuchA lines drawn from the outer periphery of their Zone of contact totheir axes.

11. A speed-varying device comprising a disk having' a graduated curved*engaging face, an engaging device therefor .provided with aliexiblei'engaging facev adapted to'conform to the curved face of thedisk andmeans for varying their relative positions, such disk andengaging part arranged so that at various positions of contact the ratiobetween two lines drawn from the inner periphery of their IOO IIO

l2. A speed--varyingdevice comprising a y frictional'disk having a`concave"engaging,

face,'a'n engaging part therefor, means for varying their relativepositions of engagement and for imparting niotion to one of them, suchdisk and engaging part so'constructed and arranged that atvariouspositions of contacttheA ratio between twolines drawn from theinner periphery of their Zone of contact to their axes would beapproximately equal to the ratio between two other such lines drawn fromthe outer periphery of their zone of contact to their axes.

13. A speed-varying device comprising a frictional disk having' a curvedengaging face, an engaging' part therefor, means for varying' theirrelative positions of engagementand for imparting motion to one of them,such disk and engaging part so constructed and arranged that at various'positions of contact the ratio between two lines drawn from the innerperiphery of their Zone of contact to their axes would be approximatelyAequal to the ratio between two other such lines drawn from the Outerperiphery of their Zone of Contact to their axes.

14. A speed-varying device comprising a frictional disk having anengaging face, an engaging' part therefor having a yielding' face, meansl'or varying their relative positions of engagement and for impartingmotion to one of them, such disk and engaging part arranged so that atvarious positions of contact the ratio between two lines drawn from theinner periphery of their Zone of contact to their axes would beapproximately equal to the ratio between two other such lines drawn fromthe outer periphery of their zone of contact to their axes.

15. .A speed-varying device comprising a ranged that at variouspositions of contact the ratio between two lilies drawn freni the innerperiphery of their Zone of contact to their axes `would beapproxilnately equal to the ratio between two other such lines drawnfrom the outer periphery of their zone of contact to their axes.

16. A speedvarying device comprising a frictional disk having a.concaved engaging face, and an engaging part therefor adapted to bemoved back and forth across said concaved engaging face, said engagingpart having a yielding surface so as to get considerable area of Contactwith the concaved eligaging face.

17. A speed-varying device comprising a frictional disk, having' aconcaved engaging face, and an engaging part therefor, adapted to benioved back and forth across said cencavcd engaging' face, said engagingpart having a yieldingsurface so as to g'etconsiderable area of contactwith the concaved engaging face, the axes of the disk and engaging partbeingapproximately at right angles to each other.

18. A speed-varying device comprising two parts, one a driving and theother a. driven part, one a frictional disk having a concaved engagingface, and the other an engaging part therefor, adapted to be moved backand forth across said concaved engaging face, said engaging part havinga. yielding surface so as to have considerable area of contact with theconcaved engaging' face.

GEORGE R. DEAN.

W'itnesses:

EDWARD T. 'RAY, FANNY B. FAY.

